Saturday, 20 May 2017

Big Bang VW festival 2017 (part 3 of 4)

This weeks blog review is part three of four reviews all about the annual Big Bang VW camper and bus show which was held at the world famous Santa Pod Raceway in Northamptonshire over the weekend of 21st - 23rd April 2016. This huge Volkswagen festival at the home of the FIA European drag racing championships seems to get bigger and better every year and is billed as the friendliest VW show on the U.K calendar, despite the high octane drag racing and two live music arenas. This festival is a laid back affair and very family friendly. The big bang weekend consists of 3 days of non stop action on the drag strip, including (RWYB) Run What You Brung, music and various types of entertainment every day / night, show and shine, fun fair, monster truck display, jet car, and plenty more to keep both adults and the younger children occupied all weekend. The Big Bang VW festival is a local show for me, being only 40 miles away from my hometown of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire so it was nice leisurely drive over to Northamptonshire on the Saturday morning. The blog continues as I wander around Santa Pod admiring all the quality Volkswagens.To see all my other blog entries, go to ‘My Blog Archive’ to the left of this page. Simply click on an arrow for a particular year, then click on an arrow for a particular month, this will then give you a drop down menu for all the blog entries for that month.

To start this weeks blog we have one of the nicestsplit screen buses on the VW scene at the moment, (that I've seen anyway!) This is a 1958 LHD Swiss Army radio communication bus. The gorgeous brightred paint may look fresh but the bus underwent abare metal respray over 4 years ago. It's not only mewho think this bus is nice, as it's already been featured in the S.S.V.C. (Split Screen Van Club) club magazineand also in VW Camper and Commercial magazine.

This bus not only looks gorgeous, it's also very solid and has never been welded!. The engineis a very respectable 1776cc unit with Porsche 944 disc brakes on all four corners to help stop the bus.The wheels are Gas Burner replicas although theowner James, says these are soon to be changed.

Talking of nice split screen buses this 1967 allwhite example looked gorgeous. I did like the factthat it looked original with it's high ride height andthose lovely painted steel wheels with white walltyres.

This imported bus really was so clean and tidyand the turret top with twin roof racks finishedoff the look perfectly. The check curtains also hada period look about them.

Another 1967 vehicle I spotted was this stunningdark blue bug. This slammed bug looked lovelywith it's Fuchs style wheels and being so low. Howperfectly straight is that reflection in the drivers door?

You can see just how low this bug is from this angle, the narrowed front beam add to this carscool look.

One of my Facebook friends Paul, attended the show in his black and flamed 1998 T4, that he has christened 'Betty the Bitch' as Paul has aliking for Betty Boop! The van has an old skool hot rod theme with the flame paint job and the red painted steel wheels.

Betty the Bitch is so recognisable and often getscomplimentary comments/ Paul painted the bus himself including the flames.

At these shows you do see some weird and wonderful creations and this low rider push bike caught my eye. I watched as the owner rode past and I have to say it did look hard work peddling that bike!

This early 1960's RAT look splitty looked coolwith it's patina paint and having been loweredso much. The narrow front beam ensure thefront wheels are tucked right under the cab.

This really was cool looking bus that looked justabout right from every angle.

Parked alongside the above split screen wasanother RAT look splitty of similar vintage. TheRAT look is still massive over here in the U.K.and it's easy to see why.

This bus has also been slammed and also hasa narrowed front beam. I did like that very retrofull length roof rack which suited the bus perfectly.

The British RAT look in all it's glory. A pair oflovely RAT look splits at Big Bang VW show.

As I walked along the row of display vehicles Inoticed another pair of RAT look buses, this timean early single cab pick up and a late bay.

I do like the single cab split screen especiallywhen they look this nice. This early SC oozedpatina and looked so much nicer for the factthat it was riding at what looks like stock height.

I did like the look of this bus and the fact that ithad the hoops and canvas over the bed, whichis quite rare to see. This lovely bus had just theright amount of patina paint over the Dove blue(or similar colour) original paint.

The second of the RAT look buses was this 1972late bay. I did like the patchwork paint and thepainted Maltese cross on the door. The narrowed front beam add to this buses low slammed look.

This really was a nice bus, the opening rear screenlooked cool. Although this bus had a ratty look,it was actually quite solid.

No comment from me needed as the decal onthe rear wheel arch says it all!

This old skool gasser style caddie looked greatwith it's black and flamed paint job. This reallydid look like an out and out racer.

Looking up into the engine bay, I couldn't seewhat motor the caddy had, but suffice to say itwas a V8 of some description.

High riding front end with big and little wheels,this really looked good and so old skool.

From the side you can see the caddy in all it'sgasser glory. I would have liked to have seen thisrun down the 1/4 mile, but if it did run, I missed it.

This stunning all white 1960's Karmann Ghialooked fantastic in the sunshine. The KG hasbeen lowered and has what looks like a narrowfront beam.

This really was a lovely straight and clean car,and the chrome sparkled in the sunshine.

The last vehicle in this weeks blog is this lovelyslammed 1969 early bay crew cab pick up. Thisbus really has been slammed and the super narrowfront beam adds to the overall look.

This old bus had what looked like the original paint which was just starting to show it's age, andit looked great. The canvas cover over the pick upbed was a neat sought after accessory.

Next weeks blog will be the fourth and final instalmenton the Big Bang VW show 2017, and you will beable to see plenty more bugs and buses includinga lovely patina'd beetle with a very unusual feature!so be sure to come back next Saturday.

About My 1969 Microbus.

Hi and welcome to my blog about my 1969 VW Microbus, the places I go, the people I meet and the vehicles I see along the way.If you like what you read on my blog, why not sign up to Google and feel free to post a comment with your location so I can see how far my blog reaches, or better still why become a 'follower' of my site? Don't forget to check out my blog archive pages (above) to see what you have previously missed.!In case you don't want to sign up to Google, why not become a 'friend' of mine on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/#!/dave.clark.9674to get instant updates on any new blog entries I post and many other VW related stories from myself and my friends. Thanks.